Method of and apparatus for generating kinetic fluids



Dec. 12, 1933. F. M BROOKE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING KINETIC FLUIDS Filed Dec. 19. 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 1 .m v n Ms B? Y.

Francis MBrm/ze,

BY ATTORNEYS.

* INVENTOR:

M W un. RN

F. M. BROOKE Dec. 12, 1933.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING KINETIC FLUIDS Filed Dec. 19. 1931 .7 s Sheets-Sheet 2 FZC I INVENTOR: fianczs MBrw/h;

TTORNEYS.

Dec. 12, 1933. F. M. BROOKE 1,938,687

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING KINETIC FLUIDS Filed Dec. 19. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 HG' E V INVENTOR: fihmas Mfirooire,

ATTORNEYS.

' Patented Dec. 12, 1933 METHOD or AND APPARATUS FOR GEN- ERATING xmn'nc FLUIDS Francis M. Brooke, Bryn Mawr, Pa., assignor to Nanna S. Brooke, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Application December 19, 1931 Serial No. 582,089

8 Claims. (Cl. 60-41) This invention is concerned with the generation of kinetic fluids by explosion of vaporized liquid fuels, such for example as gasoline or other petroleum derivatives, for use in the motivation of gas driven prime movers, particularly turbines.

The chief aim of my invention is to make it possible to generate a substantially continuous supply of a' kinetic gaseous medium at an eflicient pressure and at a suitably reduced temperature for use in the motivation of turbines and like prime movers without danger of burning the opposing stator and rotor blades or any of the other stationary or moving parts of such apparatus. This desideraturnl attain as hereinafter fully set forth, by first exploding successive charges of vaporized liquid fuel and air in primary confinement, and immediately thereafter discharging the products of combustion from such explosions into a substantially larger confined volume of air, aproximately at or above atmospheric pressure, for secondary combustion of any unexploded fuel content, before releasing the resultant kinetic fluid into the prime 'mover, so that all the available heat productive units contained in the fuel are utilized to develop motive power; and more important still, without diminishing the energy, it is applied through a greater volume of gas at a much lower pressure, that gives the desired lower temperature which is 30 not destructive.

A further aim of my invention is to provide.

a simple and reliable apparatus suitable for the generation of a kinetic fluid medium under the principle above outlined, and capable of producing at all times, an amply supply of said medium for actuation of the prime mover with which the apparatus is associated. Briefly described, my novel generating apparatus aifords a multiplicity of combustion chambers in which periodically-introduced charges of liquid fuel and air are successively exploded, and a series of individually-associated larger chambers in which the gases resulting from the explosions in the combustion chambers, are commingled with substantially larger volumes of air, secondarily exploded, expanded and cooled somewhat, likewise in succession and while temporarily confined, before being released into-the prime mover, the flow of the gases between the smaller and larger chambers, as well as between the latter chambers and the prime mover, being controlled by rotating sleeve valves coaxially within the said chambers.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will be manifest from the detailed description following in connection with the attached drawings, wherein, Fig. I shows my improved kinetic fluid generator in association with a gas turbine. U

Fig. II is a plan view of the generator.

Fig. III is a cross sectional view taken as indicated by the arrows III III in Fig. 11; and,

Fig. IV is a diagrammatic view showing the relative positions of the sleeve valves controlling flow of the gases in the generator and from said 5 generator to the turbine.

With more detailed reference first to Fig. I of these illustrations, I have shown a power unit including a horizontal turbine 10; and an associated kinetic fluid generator 11 whichconven- 7 iently embodies my invention, the said turbine 10 and generator 11 being in this instance both mounted on a common bed plate or base 12.

The turbine 10 may be of any approved type or constructed, for example, after the mannerdisclosed in my. co-pendingapplication, Serial No. 582,090, filed concurrently herewith, its casing 13 being conical and receiving the kinetic fluid from the generator 11 at the smaller end by way of ,a connecting conduit 14. After passing be- 9 tween the stator and rotor blades (not shown) of the turbine 10, the spent gases are exhausted into a head 15 at the larger end of the turbine casing 13 and from thence carried off through an upward flue indicated at 16. 35

As shown in Figs. I-III, the upper portion of the housing 17 of the generator 11 affords a ,series of juxta-positioned vertical cylindric or primary combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b, and the lower portion of said housing a corresponding series of vertical cylindric secondarycombustion, or what I hereinafter conveniently designate to avoid confusion, as expansion chambers 19, 19a and 19b in co-axial relation respectively with said primary combustion chambers. For the purposes of illustration herein,

I have shown three pairs of coordinated combustion and expansion chambers; but it is to be understood that the number of such pairs may be varied and the chambers differently arranged as may be desired, or as practice may dictate. The corresponding pairs of the combustion and expansion chambers 18, 18a, 18b, and 19, 19a,, 19b, communicate by way of U-conduits 20, 20a and 20b respectively, the flow from the said combustion chambers to the expansion chambers being controlled by sleeve valves 21, 21a, 21b and 22, 22a, 2217, respectively, rotating coaxlally within the said chambers; It is to be particularly noted from Fig. III that the expansion chambers 19, 19a and 19b are considerably larger than the combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b, the volume ratio in this instance being about one to one and one-half.

Connecting into the combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b in line with fuel mixture induction ports 23, 23a and 23b near the tops of said chambers, is a manifold 24, which, at one end, terminates in an open flared circular housing 25 wherein rotates a blower fan 26, see Figs. I and 11. As shown, this fan 26 is secured to the shaft 27 of a starting motor 28 mounted on a pedestal 29 which rises from the supporting base 12. Liquid fuel is conducted to the generator 11 from a suitable source of supply (not illustrated) through a pipe 30 that leads to a fitting 31 at one en" of the motor shaft 2'7, which latter is tubular, see Fig. I. By the axial duct 32 in the motor shaft 27, the liquid fuel is conducted to an atomizer'head 33 within the fan casings 25, the said head having a number of radial discharge nozzles 34. The fuel spray thrown off by the atomizer head 33 is thoroughly vaporized under the pressure of the air stream created by the fan 26, and the resultant mixture conducted through the manifold 24 to the combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b of the generator 11. Normally, the fan 26 is driven, through a sprocket chain connection 35, from an extension 36 of the shaft 37 of the turbine 10, see Figs. I and II.

As shown in Figs. I and II, the sleeve valves 21, 21a and 21b of the combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b are respectively provided at their lower ends with worm gears 40 which mesh with worms 41 on a longitudinal shaft 42 having bearing support in suitable journal brackets 43 on the gas generator housing 1'7. The sleeve valves 22, 22a and 22b in the expansion chambers 19, 19a and 19b are likewise provided at their lower ends with worm gears 44 which mesh respectively with worms 45 on another longitudinal shaft 46 journaled in fixed bearings 4'7. The two worm shafts 42 and 46 are driven in unison by sprocket chain connections 48 and 49 from the extension 36 of the turbine shaft 37, so that the sleeve valves 21, 21a, 21b and 22, 22a, 22b are are all rotated at the same rate of speed and in the same direction as indicated by the arrows in Fig. IV.

From Figs. III and IV it will be observed that the sleeve valves 21, 21a and 21b of the combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b are provided near their tops with openings 50, 50a and 50b adapted to register respectively with the fuel induction ports 23, 23a and 23b leading from the fuel induction manifold 24, and, at a lower level, with openings 51, 51a and 51b adapted to register with ports 52, 52a and 52b that lead into the U-conduits 20, 20a and 20b. Near their bottoms, the sleeve valves 21, 21a and 21b are further provided with comparatively smaller openings 53, 53a and 53b for registry with ports 54, 54a and 54b that lead into a manifold 55 by which any gas residue left after release of the exploded charges from the chambers 18, 18a and 181) are permitted to escape, the said manifold leading, as shown in Fig. I, into the exhaust head 15 of the turbine 10.

The construction of the sleeve valves 22, 22a and 22b in the expansion chambers 19, 19a and 19b of the generator is generally similar to that of the sleeve valves 21, 21a and 21b," that is to say: said sleeve valves are provided, as shown in Figs. III and IV, with openings 56, 56a and 56b adjacent their upper ends adapted to register respectively with ports 57, 57a and 57b leadin from the U-conduits 20, 20a and 20b and below the aforesaid openings, with openings 58, 58a and 58b adapted to register with inlet ports 59, 59a and 59b leading from a manifold 60. This manifold 60 connects with the fan housing 25, and through it a portion of the air impressed by the fan 26 is conducted into the the expansion chambers 19, 19a and 19b to commingle with the exploded gasesdelivered to said chambers from the chambers 18, 18a and 18b as and for a purpose later on explained. As shown in Fig. I, a baflle 61 within the fan housing determines apportionment of the air flow as between the manifolds 24 and 60. Below the level of the openings 58, 58a and 58b the sleeve valves 22, 22a and 22b are provided with openings 62, 62a and 62b which are adapted to register with ports 63, 63a and 63b that lead into the conduit 14 whereby the kinetic fluid is ultimately conducted to the turbine 10. Near their bottoms, the sleeve valves 22, 22a and 22b are further provided with small openings 64, 64a, 64b for registry with ports 65, 65a, 65b that lead into a manifold 66 whereby residual gases left in the chambers 19, 19a and 19b, after release of the gas charges successively into the turbine 10 are conducted to theexhaust headv 15. In order to operate sequentially to determine successive cycles of explosions in and discharges from the three subdivisions of the generator 11, the coordinated sleeve valves 21, 21a, 21b and 22, 22a, 22b are set one hundred and twenty degrees apart as considered with regard to their port openings.

Referring again to Fig. III, the housing 17 of the gas pressure generator 11 is jacketed throughout as at 6'7 for circulation of water or other suitable cooling medium, which medium is introduced through pipe connections. at 68 and withdrawn through pipe connections at 69 under the action of a suitable pump means no illustrated.

In practice I employ a suitable ignition sys tem for exploding the charges of fuel successively introduced into the combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b, such system to include among other things a distributor (not shown) and spark plugs 70 (Figs. I-III) whereof there is one associated with each of said combustion chambers.

The operation of my improved gas pressure generator is as follows:-Let 'it be assumed that the turbine 10 is running with the sprocket chain connection 35 driving the fan 26, and with the sprocket chain connections 48 and 49 concurrently driving the worm-shafts 42 and 46 to rotate the sleeve valves 21, 21a, 21b and 22,-

22a, 22b in unison as hereinbefore explained. Under such operation, charges of fuel mixture will be admitted by way of the induction ports 23, 23a and 23b, successively into the chambers 18, 18a, 18b, consecutively exploded therein and transmitted through the associated U-conduits 20, 20a and 20b, likewise in definite succession, to the respectively-coordinated expansion chambers 19, 19a, 19b, into which air at or above atmospheric pressure is concurrently admitted by way of the inlet ports 59, 59a and 59b from the manifold 60. After expansion and secondary combustion of any unexploded fuel content in the chambers 19, 19a and 19b the resultant charges are released by way of the .openings 62,- 62a, 62b, ports 63, 63a, 63b, and

conduit 14 into the turbine 10, again in definite succession, at a suitable pressure for expansive purposes and at a sufllciently low temperature, the supply of the kinetic fluid being thus substantially continuous and uniform. Or, in other words, if the mixture admitted to the combustion chambers 18, 18a and 18b, beas rich as desirable to positively assure combustion, it will be exploded, and the process of combustion thoroughly established; after which the products of such combustion are discharged into the substantially larger associated expansion cham bers 19, 19a and 19b, previously filled with air preferably at a pressure above that of the atmosphere, whereupon a minor or secondary explosion takes place that utilizes any additional heat units (unexploded fued content) that would otherwise be wasted, whereby the maximum available kinetic energy is developed from the quantity of fuel used.

The cyclic action of the generator 11 will be best understood by reference to Fig. IV which shows the relative positions of the various sleeve valves 21, 21a, 21b, and 22, 22a, 22b, at a selected instant. As illustrated, the top opening of the-sleeve valve 21 is in eg st ywith the induction port 23 of the combustion chamber 18, thereby permitting entry of fuel mixture from the manifold 24', the other ports 52 and 54 of said chamber being closed. Concurrently with the'event just related, a supplementing quantity of air, at or above atmospheric pressure, is being inducted into the associated expansion chamber 19 from the manifold via the port 59 and the registering opening 58 in the sleeve valve 22. in readiness to be subsequently commingled with the gases resulting from the explosion of the fuel mixture now flowing into the explosion chamber 18. All the other ports of the expansion chamber 19 are at this instant closed as shown in the illustration. Passing now to the second section or subdivision of the generator 11, a charge of fuel mixture has just been exploded in the combustion chamber 184, and the gases resulting from such-explosion are passing, by way of the opening 51:: in the sleeve valve 21:: and port 52a, into the U-conduit 20a; while the ports 57a and 63a of the chamber 19a. are Just being uncovered through registry therewith of the openings 56a and 62a in the sleeve valve 220, thereby permitting entry of the exploded gases from the combustion chamber 18a on the one hand into the expansion chamber 19a, and exit of any previously expanded on the other hand, into the conduit 14 for conduction to the turbine 10. In the third section or subdivision of the generator 11, the port 52b of the combustion chamber 18b is about to be closed by the sleeve valve 21b, the previously exploded charge having been almost entirely released through the U-conduit 30b into the expansion chamber 19b whereof the induction port 57b is at this instant about to be closed by the sleeve valve 22b. Concurrently the sleeve valve 22b is about to close the eduction port 63b, thereby to interrupt communication between the expansion chamber 19b and the conduit 14 leading to the turbine 10.

When a rich mixture is fed into the generator any excess fuel remaining unconsumed after explosion in the primary 18.

18a, 18b is carried over into the expansion chambers 19, 19a, 19b w'here secondary but minor explosions take place when such unconsumed fuel comes in contact with the fresh air inducted intothesaidchambersviathemanifoldwas hereinbefore This will develop more heatandgive greatereiliciencybythemore complete combustion of the fuel than heretofore attained. However, such added emciency is obviously proportionally regulated by the excess of unconsumed fuel whereof the quantity may be relatively small in proportion to the volume of atmospheric air and gasin the expansion chambers 19, 19a, 19b so that the amount of temperature increase during the secondary explosions in said expansion chambers is correspondingly small.

A definite amount of fuel contains a limited amount of heat units. The latter will expand a specified amount of air to a certain pressure at its corresponding temperature. If we triple the amount of air to be expanded the resultant is three times the volume of usable gas at onethird the pressure and one-third the temperature. The desired result of lower temperature isacquired,andthefallinpressureisequalized by the proportionate increase in volume. In practical application we must contend with the condition, that too great a mixture-of air prevents combustion. The most positive explosions are obtained by a rich, rather than a lean mixture. Hence the primary explosion chamber, which positively eil'ects explosions because of the best proportion of air and fuel and then the secondary explosion or expansion chamber, which eflects not only a minor secondary explosion but applies the hot gas and burning fuel to a much larger volume of air, .eflects the desired resultant of not only consumption of all fuel but a practical reduced temperature without loss of energy, decreases in pressure being oifset by proportionate increase in volume of kinetic fluid.

As a typical example of the increased efliciency attainable by my invention, by adding volumes of air at approximately or above" atmospheric 1 pressure into which the exploded mixture heat units from the combustion chambers 18, 18a, 186 are iniected in the expansion chambers 19, 19a, 19b; for instance, 150% volumetric, it naturally follows that the resultant mixtiue con- 1 tains 2% times the amount of air ordinarily applied to a corresponding amount oi fuel; also that by melting said expansion chambers larger the ratio will be correspondingly The resultant is that with a constant volume of heat units per explosion applied to 250% of the amount of air that is ordinarily applied thereto, there is an expansion ratio which is inversely proportionate to the pressure obtained and at corresponding temperature, than would be the case if'the same number of heat units were applied to but 40% of the volume of air; therefore, it is obvious there is an equal or greater amount of available energy developed but at a correspondingly lower temperature. Incidentally, it is to be noted that the water-cooling of the combustion and expansion chambers is solely to prevent overheating, as it is intended to operate them at the highest practical temperature, with no intention oi cooling of the exploded kinetic fluid senrated m,

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In apparatus for generating kinetic fluid medium for motivating turbines and the like, means defining a source of impressed air and a source of fuel supply, a cylindric combustion chamber with a coaxial rotary sleeve valve for admitting a charge of gaseous fuel mixture, means for igniting such charge, an associated larger cylindric expansion chamber with a coaxial rotary sleeve valve governing admission of a charge of atmospheric air into said expansion chamber, means conducting the gas resulting from the explosion of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber to the expansion chamber, said last mentioned valve subsequently releasing thecommingled air and combustion gases into a conduit communicating with the turbine, after temporary detention in the expansion chamber to effect secondary ignition of any remaining combustible matter, and means for synchronously actuating the rotary sleeve valve of the combustion and expansion chambers to determine repetitions of the recited operating cycle of the a aratus.

2. I? apparatus for generating kinetic fluid medium for motivating turbines and the like, means defining a source of impressed air and a source of fuel supply, a cylindric combustion chamber with a coaxial rotary sleeve valve for v admitting a charge of gaseous fuel mixture, means for igniting such charge, an associated larger cylindric expansion chamber with a caaxial rotary sleeve valve governing filling of said larger chamber with fresh air at approximately atmospheric pressure, means conducting the gases resulting from explosion of the fuel m xture in the combustion chamber to the expansion chamber, said last mentioned valve subsequently releasing the commingled fresh air and exploded gases into means communicating with the turbine, after temporary detention in the expansion chamber to effect secondary explosion of any remaining fuel content, and means for synchronously actuating the rotary sleeve valves of the combustion and expansion chambers to maintam the pressure of the kinetic fluid medium substantially constant at a predetermined temperature and to determine repetitions of the recited operating cycle of the apparatus.

3. In apparatus for generating kinetic fluid medium for motivating turbines and the like, means defining a source of compressed air and a source of fuel supply, a cylindric combustion chamber with a coaxial rotary sleeve valve for admitting a charge of combustible gaseous fuel mixture, means for subsequently igniting such charge, an associated larger cylindric expansion chamber, in direct alignment with the combustion chamber, including a coaxial rotary sleeve valve governing filling of said chamber with fresh air at or above atmospheric pressure, a conduitconducting the gases resulting from the explosion of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber to the expansion chamber, said last mentioned valve subsequently releasing the commingled fresh air and exploded gases into a manifold connecting with the turbine, after temporary detention in the expansion chamber to effect secondary explosion of any remaining combustible content, and means, for synchronously actuating the rotary sleeve valves of the combustion and expansion chambers to maintain the pressure of the generated kinetic fluid substantially constant at predetermined temperature and to determine repetitions of the recited operating cycle of the apparatus.

4. In apparatus for generating kinetic fluid medium for motivating purposes, means pro-v resulting from the explosion of the charge of.

fuel mixture away from the combustion chamber and admitting it into the expansion chamber; means subsequently releasing the commingled atmospheric air and gases from and conducting the same away, after temporary detention in said expansion chamber to effect production of a maximum kinetic medium, for expansive purposes; and means for synchronously actuating the control means of the combustion and expansion chambers to maintain the pressure of the generated kinetic fluid medium substantially constant, at a predetermined low temperature, and to determine repetitions of the operating cycle of the apparatus.

5. In apparatus for generating kinetic fluid medium for motivating purposes, means defining a cylindric combustion chamber and a larger cylindric expansion chamber; means affording communication between said chambers; means providing and continuously supplying gaseous fuel mixture under pressure to, and means for igniting the same in, the combustion chamber; a coaxial rotary sleeve valve in the combustion chamber having inlet and outlet openings coactive with associated ports in the chamber wall, respectively controlling admission of a charge of the gaseous fuel mixture and its discharge therefrom after explosion; a corresponding rotary sleeve valve in the expansion chamber having a plurality of inlet openings and an outlet opening with coactive ports, one of said inlets governing filling of the expansion chamber with fresh atmospheric air and the other inlet controlling entry of the exploded gases from the combustion chamber and said outlet subsequently releasing the commingled fresh air and exploded gases after temporary detention to effect secondary explosion of any remaining fuel content; and means for synchronously actuating the rotary sleeve valves of the combustion and expansion chambers to maintain the pressure of the kinetic fluid medium substantially constant, at a. pred termined temperature, and to,

determine repetitions of the recited operating, cycle of the apparatus.

6. In apparatus for generating kinetic fluid medium for motivating purposes, means defining a cylindric combustion chamber and an aligned substantially larger cylindric expansion chamber; conduit means affording communication between said chambers; forced-feed carburetting means providing and continuouslyv supplying gaseous fuel mixture to, and means for igniting the same in, the combustion chamber; a coaxial rotary sleeve in the combustion chamber having inlet and outlet openings coactive with associated ports in the chamber wall, respectively 1' active ports, one of said inlets governing filling oi the expansion chamber with fresh air at approximately atmospheric pressure and the other inlet controlling entry of the gases resulting from the explosion of the fuel mixture in the combustion chamber and said outlet subsequently releging the commingled fresh air and exploded gases after temporary detention in said' expansion chamber to effect secondary explosion of any remaining fuel content; andmeans for synchronously actuating the rotary sleeve valves of the combustion andexpansion chambers to maintain the pressure of the generated kinetic fluid substantially constant, at a predetermined temperature, and to determine repetitions of the recited operating cycle of the apparatus.

7. In apparatus for generating kinetic fluid medium for motivating purposes, means defining a cylindric combustionchamberand an aligned substantially larger cylindric expansion chamber; conduit means aifording communication between said chamber; forced-ieed carburetting means providing and continuously supplying gaseous fuel mixture to, and means for igniting the same in, the combustion chamber; a co-' axial rotary sleeve in the combustion chamber having inlet and outlet openings coactive with associated ports in the chamber wall, respectively controlling admission of a charge of the gaseous fuel mixture to and its discharge after explosion therefrom; a corresponding rotary sleeve in the expansion chamber havinga plurality of inlet openings and an outlet opening with coactive ports, one of said inlets governing filling of the expansion chamber with fresh air at approximately atmospheric pressure and the other inlet controlling entry of the gases resulting of the generated kinetic fluid substantially constant, at a predetermined temperature, and to determine repetitions of the recited" operatingcycle of the apparatus. a

8. The combination or claim "'I wherein the respective rotary sleeves are closed in at one end to provide worm gears and occupy the full extent of the associated chambers.

FRANCIS M. BROOKE. 

